precious: [13] Latin pretiōsus ‘expensive, valuable, precious’ was derived from pretium ‘price’ (source of English praise, price, and prize). English acquired it via Old French precios. The sense ‘affected’ was introduced from French in the early 18th century. => praise, price, prize
precious (adj.)
mid-13c., from Old French precios "precious, costly, honorable, of great worth" (11c., Modern French précieux), from Latin pretiosus "costly, valuable," from pretium "value, worth, price" (see price (n.)). Meaning "over-refined" in English first recorded late 14c. In Johnson's day, it also had a secondary inverted sense of "worthless." Related: Preciously; preciousness.
precious (n.)
"beloved or dear person or object," 1706, from precious (adj.).
例文
1. Precious few homebuyers will notice any reduction in their monthly repayments.
ごく少数の住宅購入者は、彼らの月返済額の減少に気づくだろう。
2.The banks have had precious little to celebrate recently.
銀行は最近おめでたいことは何もありません。
3.After four months in foreign parts，every hour at home was precious .
海外に4ヶ月滞在した後、家にいる時間はすべて貴重です。
4.You don 't care about anything but yourself and your precious face.
あなたは何も関心を持っていません。あなた自身とあなたのあの気高い顔を除いて。
5.There was precious little about the cricket to animate the crowd.